Pool size and water4 calculators
Water chemistry9 calculators
Equipment and energy6 calculators
Hot tubs3 calculators

Pool Pump Running Cost Calculator

See what your pump costs to run and how much a variable-speed pump would save by running slower for longer.

Reviewed November 7, 2026Formula and sources on this pageUS and metric units

Your numbers

Pump power
W

A 1.5 hp single-speed pump typically draws 1,500 to 2,000 W.

h

days

Switching swaps in a typical local price. Prices you have typed stay as they are.

per kWh

Typical per kWh: US 18¢, UK 26p, EU €0.28, Australia A$0.31; Canada 8¢ to 37¢ by province. Your bill has your exact rate.

% speed

Your answer

Fix the highlighted field to update the answer.

Running cost per month

$79.67

$550 a year over 210 days

Single speed$550
Variable at 50%$138
Energy per day
14.4 kWh
Variable speed at 50%
225 W for 16 h a day
Variable-speed cost per year
$138
Saving
$413 a year (75%)
Show the working
  1. Power = 1,800 W
  2. Daily energy = 1,800 W × 8 h ÷ 1,000 = 14.4 kWh
  3. Affinity laws: at 50% speed, flow is 50% and power is (0.5)³ = 12.5% of full
  4. To move the same water it runs 16 h, so energy is (0.5)² = 25% of the single-speed pump

The formula

kWh per day = watts × hours ÷ 1,000

Cost = kWh × price per kWh

If you only know volts and amps from the motor label, watts ≈ volts × amps × 0.9. The 0.9 allows for the motor’s power factor, so the result is a slight overestimate of real power for many motors.

A 1.5 horsepower single-speed pump typically draws about 1,500 to 2,000 watts. The most reliable number is a reading from a plug-in or clamp energy meter, or your pump’s spec sheet.

Worked example

A 1,800 W single-speed pump, 8 hours a day, 210 days a year, 18.2¢ per kWh

  1. Energy = 1,800 × 8 ÷ 1,000 = 14.4 kWh a day
  2. Cost = 14.4 × $0.182 = $2.62 a day, $80 a month, $550 a year

Why variable speed saves so much

Pumps follow the affinity laws: flow rises in step with motor speed, but power rises with the cube of speed. ENERGY STAR puts it simply: reducing pump speed by half lets the pump use one-eighth as much energy. To move the same amount of water at half speed you run twice as long, so the daily energy is one-quarter:

Power at speed s = full power × s³

Energy for the same water = full-speed energy × s²

The same pump job at 50% speed

  1. Power = 1,800 × 0.5³ = 225 W
  2. Run time = 8 ÷ 0.5 = 16 hours to move the same water
  3. Energy = 3.6 kWh a day, so $138 a year instead of $550, saving $413

Yearly cost to move the same water at different speeds

Yearly cost to move the same water at different speedsBased on the example above. The savings grow fastest at low speeds. Real pumps lose some efficiency at very low speed, so treat the lowest settings as optimistic.010020030040050060030405060708090100Pump speed (% of full)Dollars a year
Based on the example above. The savings grow fastest at low speeds. Real pumps lose some efficiency at very low speed, so treat the lowest settings as optimistic.
Show the numbers
Speed (%)Hours a dayCost a year
3026.7$50
4020$88
5016$138
6013.3$198
7011.4$270
8010$352
908.9$446
1008$550

The model assumes the pump’s efficiency stays the same at every speed. In practice, motors and impellers lose some efficiency at very low speeds, and some jobs need full speed: suction cleaners, water features, spa jets and heaters with a minimum flow. Most owners run low speed for filtering and a short high-speed block for those.

Other ways to cut pump costs

  • Run it only as long as you need. One turnover a day is a common baseline. The pump size calculator shows how long that takes.
  • Use off-peak hours if your utility has time-of-use rates.
  • Keep the filter clean. A clogged filter raises resistance, so the pump moves less water for the same power.
  • Check for rebates. Many utilities offer rebates for variable-speed or ENERGY STAR certified pumps.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a pool pump per month?

A typical 1,800 W single-speed pump running 8 hours a day costs about $80 a month at 18.2¢ per kWh. Use your own wattage, hours and rate for an exact figure.

How much does a variable-speed pool pump save?

Running at half speed for twice as long uses about a quarter of the energy. In the example that’s $413 a year. ENERGY STAR notes that halving speed cuts power to one-eighth.

How many watts does a pool pump use?

A 1 to 1.5 hp single-speed pump commonly draws around 1,000 to 2,000 W. Variable-speed pumps may draw only a few hundred watts at low speed.

Is it cheaper to run a pool pump at night?

Only if your utility charges less at night. Energy use is the same, but time-of-use rates can make off-peak hours much cheaper.

How long should I run my pool pump?

Long enough for at least one full turnover a day, plus extra time when chlorinating with a salt cell or heating.

Why is my variable-speed pump not saving as much as expected?

Usually because it spends long periods at high speed for a cleaner, heater or water feature. Try shortening those blocks and filtering at the lowest speed that keeps the water clear.

Sources

  1. ENERGY STAR Certified Pool Pumps. U.S. EPA, ENERGY STAR.
  2. U.S. residential electricity rates, August 2026 (EIA Electric Power Monthly). ElectricRates.org summary of EIA data.
  3. Changes to energy price cap between 1 October and 31 December 2026. Ofgem.
  4. EU household electricity and gas prices, first half of 2026 (Eurostat). The Brussels Times.
  5. What is the average cost of electricity per kWh in Australia?. Finder, updated October 14, 2026.
  6. The critical role of circulation and turnover in residential pool performance. Pool Magazine.

Reviewed November 7, 2026. We check the formulas against the sources above and re-run the worked examples whenever we update this page. Found something wrong? Tell us.

Related calculators